Apparatus for cutting flexible materials

Abstract

A method and apparatus for cutting a length of flexible material from a web includes, more particularly, a method and apparatus for cutting a predetermined width of carpeting without removing pile fibers from the backing, in a manner which greatly enhances efficiency and productivity.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of cutting a web of flexible material, comprising the steps of: securing a blade holder to a deck over which said web is to be directed;   disposing a thin, flat blade in said holder, said holder having a trans verse dimension exceeding the thickness dimension of said blade by an amount in the range of about 0.001 to 0.125 inches, such that said blade is substantially unconstrained within said holder;   inducing said blade to move with respect to said web in response to said web moving relative to said blade, such that said blade exhibits an up and down motion relative to said web, thereby sawing through said web.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus for cutting a web of flexible material, comprising: carrier means for supporting said web of flexible material to be cut;   cutting means, having a leading edge disposed in severing relation to said web, for cutting a web of material, said material comprising a backing and a plurality of fibers extending therefrom, said cutting means further including recess means, rigidly attached to said carrier means, for retaining said leading edge therein in an unsecured manner;   said cutting means and said carrier means being disposed to permit reciprocating relative motion between said leading edge and said web, induced by the travel of said web with respect to said cutting means.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said carrier means comprises a generally rectangular base member and a generally rectangular deck integral with said base member, said deck being disposed at an inclined angle with respect to said base member. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein fore-and-aft extending runners are provided beneath said base member. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said runners are coated with a low friction composition. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a hold-down member pivotally connected to said carrier means on a fore-and-aft extending axis thereof, said hold-down member being substantially parallel to said deck in the down position such that said web is received therebetween.   
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said hold-down member comprises a lattice structure which imposes a relatively light bearing pressure on said web as said web is directed over said deck during cutting. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a generally upright guide means, cooperating with said deck, for guiding a side edge of said web, said guide means extending in the fore-and-aft direction of said deck.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said hold-down member further comprises restricting means, adjacent to said guide means, for inhibiting curling of said edge of said web as said web is directed over said deck. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a linear scale mounted adjacent the aft portion of said deck and providing a distance measure from said guide means.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a handle assembly is detachably mounted to a track disposed aft said carrier means such that a predetermined desired distance may be established and maintained between said cutting means and said guide means. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a fore-and-aft extending side handle mounted to a side edge of said deck. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising pivotably mounted guard means for covering a substantial portion of said cutting means. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said guard means extends substantially over the transverse length of said deck. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said cutting means comprises a blade and said recess means comprises a slot having a transverse dimension which exceeds the thickness of said blade by an amount in the range of about 0.001 to 0.125 inches. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said slot has a fore-and-aft dimension which exceeds the fore-and-aft dimension of said blade by an amount in the range of about 0.001 to 0.050 inches. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least about one-half of the length of said leading edge of said cutting means is retained in said recess means. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said cutting means comprises a blade and said recess means comprises a slot having a fore-and-aft dimension which exceeds the width dimension of said blade by an amount in the range of about 0.015 to 0.020 inches, said slot also having a transverse dimension which exceeds the thickness of said blade by an amount in the range of about 0.002 to 0.005 inches. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a transversely extending track aft of said carrier means, said track comprising a substantially U-shaped channel. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of Claim 19, further comprising a handle assembly, including: a handle extending rearwardly from said assembly in the fore-and-aft direction of said deck;   a depending member for receipt within said channel; and   a plate member rigidly connected to said depending member and said handle, said recess means being disposed within and integral with said plate member and said depending member.   
     
     
       21. The apparatus of Claim 20, wherein, said cutting means is received within said recess means such that said cutting means rests on said channel, but is not otherwise rigidly secured therein. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus for cutting a web of flexible material, comprising: carrier means for supporting a web to be cut as said web relatively moves from a fore to an aft end of said carrier means during cutting;   a thin, flat blade having a leading edge for cutting said web;   retaining means for holding said leading edge substantially orthogonal to said web in the vicinity of the cutting site, such that said blade moves in a sawing motion through said web as a result of said web relatively moving fore to aft of said carrier means during cutting engagement with said blade.   
     
     
       23. An apparatus for cutting a web of flexible material, comprising: carrier means for supporting a web to be cut;   a thin, flat, blade having a leading edge for cutting said web at a cutting site; and   recess means, rigidly connected to said carrier means, for holding said blade, wherein: therein in an unsecured manner such that said blade moves in a sawing motion through said web as a result of said web relatively moving fore to aft of said carrier means during cutting engagement with said blade   
     
     
       24. An apparatus for cutting a web of flexible material, comprising: carrier means having fore-and-aft ends for supporting a web to be cut;   a thin, flat, cutting blade having a leading edge for cutting said web at a cutting site;   slot means for retaining said blade, said therein in an unsecured manner such that said blade moves in a sawing motion through said web as a result of said web relatively moving fore to aft of said carrier means during cutting engagement with said blade defined by said blade, said first and said second planes being substantially orthogonal; and a first imaginary line defined by said leading edge of said blade is disposed at an angle of at least about ninety degrees with respect to a second imaginary line lying in said first and said second planes, said second imaginary line extending from said cutting site toward the uncut portion of said web.     
     
     
       25. An apparatus for cutting a length of carpet having a backing and a plurality of fibers extending therefrom, the apparatus comprising: a carrier having an inclined deck over which said carpet is guided from the front to the back of said carrier during cutting of said carpet;   a thin, flat, blade having a leading edge for cutting said carpet at a cutting site;   a vertically extending slot for holding said leading edge proximate said carpet at said cutting site, said slot being configured such that said blade and said carpet oscillate relative to one another at high frequency and low amplitude during cutting, said slot having a fore-and-aft dimension exceeding that of said blade by an amount in the range of about 0.015 to 0.020 inches and a transverse dimension exceeding that of said blade by an amount in the range of about 0.002 to 0.005 inches, said fore-and-aft and said transverse slot dimensions being selected to facilitate said oscillating motion;   a hold-down member, pivotally mounted to a side of said carrier, for maintaining said carpet in a substantially horizontal plane as said carpet moves relative to said carrier such that said carpet is substantially orthogonal to said leading edge;   a transversely extending track aft of said carrier means, said track comprising a substantially U-shaped channel;   a depending member for receipt within said channel, said slot being disposed integral with said depending member such that said blade rests on said channel but is not otherwise secured within said slot; and   a handle, cooperating with said carrier, for guiding the apparatus relative to said carpet.